Andrew McCutchen made his Cactus League debut for the Texas Rangers on Monday, going 1-for-3 with an RBI double in a 4-1 victory over the San Diego Padres. The 39-year-old outfielder, who signed a Minor League deal with Texas on Friday, expressed satisfaction with his performance at Peoria Stadium. Teammate Sam Haggerty praised him, saying, “He’s still got it!”
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Andrew McCutchen, 39, signed a Minor League deal with the Texas Rangers on Friday and reported to Arizona that day. He spent the weekend taking at-bats on the backfields in Surprise before making his Cactus League debut for Texas on Monday afternoon against the San Diego Padres at Peoria Stadium.
In the Rangers' 4-1 win, McCutchen went 1-for-3, including an RBI double with an exit velocity of 104.1 mph, and a lineout at 100.9 mph. After the game, he stood outside the Rangers’ visiting clubhouse and chuckled as teammate Sam Haggerty exclaimed, “He’s still got it!” while walking to his car.
“It feels good to get back out there on the field and try to get the game speed of things going,” McCutchen said. “I trust in my work this offseason, and trust in that process as best as I can, going out there. I’m trying not to overdo it and just stay within myself. I’ve got the little jitters out of the way -- crazy, believe it or not, I still get jitters. It was a good day. I feel like I saw the ball well, worked a couple full counts and made some good contact.”
McCutchen acknowledged the timing of his signing, with only two and a half weeks left before the regular season. To make the Opening Day roster, he needs to demonstrate impact quickly, and his debut provided a positive small sample.
“I've really enjoyed myself [this past week], and that's credit to the Rangers organization,” McCutchen said. “They've made me feel welcome since I've gotten here. They've let me just be a veteran, do what I need to do. Given that freedom, and also knowing that there was only literally two and a half weeks left for a regular season, it speaks volumes of [manager Skip Schumaker] and everyone involved. I've really enjoyed myself, been able to be here and be comfortable very quickly.”
Texas relievers contributed to the win, with Tyler Alexander pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing no hits but two walks. Carter Baumler allowed an unearned run on two hits, and Josh Sborz worked a clean inning as he recovers from 2024 right shoulder surgery.